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THQ to Charge For Xbox Game Packs

Posted by Zonk on from the and-you'll-like-it! dept.

Thanks to Eurogamer for the news that THQ is going to be charging for Full Spectrum Warrior mission packs. This additional content was originally supposed to be available for free (and indeed was shipped with the PC version of the game) via Xbox Live. Players are instead being charged $4.99 for the additional content.

2 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. Duh. by ooPo · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Behold that which was told in the ancient texts of gaming past! Tremble at a future where you rent, not own, your games! Fear and repent!

    Seriously, this isn't so bad as it is single-player content. You don't have to buy it. The problem is when they start charging for multiplayer content and if you don't buy it, you're left with very few servers to play on because everyone else upgraded. Its like peer pressure except that if you don't bend to its will, your game is instantly unusable online.

    1. Re:Duh. by *weasel · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Except that most people won't pay more. Not on a console anyway. Why pay $5 for a mutliplayer map pack that no-one else has?

      If this concept is going to work, the 'buyable' content has to be usable with/against those who have not yet bought it.

      Sure, the network effect will make an online game obsolete if a particular pack takes off - but the same effect makes for a substantial barrier to initial adoption. Why should I pay more for content I can almost never use?

      --
      // "Can't clowns and pirates just -try- to get along?"